Word July 1999
by garnet eyes
Summary: Using Dictionary .com's July 1999 Word of the Day as basis for freehand thoughts and interactions of the Baron trio.  Length and perspective both vary.  Not intended to follow a single timeline.  Kain, Rosa, and Cecil in various combinations.
1. Brobdingnagian C

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 18 Sep 2011<br>Summary: 01 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: K<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil  
>Author Notes: <em>Brobdingnagian<em>, adjective;  
>1. Of extraordinary size; gigantic; enormous.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil had spent much of his youngest years contained well within the walls of Baron castle, and he'd never thought much about that fact. It was simply the way that his life worked, and he didn't much care to change it. The castle was a big place, and it housed an extraordinary number of people. A world of people, the adopted prince had thought.

There had never been anything beyond the castle until Kain had bullied his way into Cecil's life. The impetuous blonde had been the one to take the prince beyond the gray walls that had always defined the perimeter of his world, had expanded the realm that the younger boy lived in to the horizon and beyond. Exploration and travel became common occurrence and it had amazed Cecil for the longest time just how much could be learned from adventure alone. As his world expanded, so too did his understanding of his own place and purpose, and the adopted prince came to deeply admire Kain for giving him such a gift.


	2. Extant K,R, KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 06 Aug 2011<br>Summary: 02 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Kain, Rosa, Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>extant<em>, adjective;  
>1. Still existing; not destroyed, lost, or extinct.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Both Kain and Rosa had to wonder, at times, about Cecil's naivety. A fighter he might be, but his faith in the inherent goodness of others was, bluntly, childish. The blondes commiserated, occasionally, over the man they adored, and how oddly in juxtaposition his mannerisms were. Cecil had never been a "real" dark knight, had never been corrupted by the power he possessed, had never displayed the darker qualities of manipulation and blatant disregard of honor that were associated with that path. As sorrowful as the man was for every innocent life lost, even after so many years and so much history of combat, the dragoon and white mage agreed completely that Cecil's ability to feel such remorse proved that his fear of being too black of heart to be forgiven for his misdeeds was entirely without merit. Honestly, the man had been a paladin at heart long before he overcame the tarry film of darkness that surrounded him. At times Kain confessed that he felt altogether unworthy of such a kindhearted man. To his initial surprise, Rosa felt the same. Cecil had some deep-rooted, untouched innocence that even she felt she would tarnish. Yet neither one of them could bring themselves to leave the young man's side.

Cecil, they could tell, remained completely oblivious to their subtle feelings of inadequacy. His wholehearted, unconditional love of each of them afforded no belief that they did not deserve _him_; if anything, the paladin strove to be worthy of _them_. Even his impending coronation and subsequent duties did nothing to distract him from such a purpose. In the far reaches of his mind, Kain felt himself perverse for any passing daydream of the lithe swordsman in a compromising position under him as he awaited the upcoming marriage. Rosa, likewise, could barely picture disrobing the gentle knight with intent, fearing his brilliant luster would be dimmed. It was therefore such a relief to the blondes, after the prince had been crowned and the trio had shared their marriage bed, that the paladin's peculiar innocence was still intact. They promised themselves that they would protect that sweet nature to their dying breaths, no matter what it took.


	3. Verdant C,K,R, imKxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 08 Sep 2011<br>Summary: 03 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa, implied Kain x Cecil  
>Author Notes: <em>verdant<em>, adjective;  
>1. Green with vegetation; covered with green growth.<br>2. Green.  
>3. Lacking experience or sophistication; naive.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

It had taken an effort to get the mead out without anyone knowing, but Kain was curious and he knew he could count on Cecil and Rosa to be interested in this "adult drink" as well. They'd snuck away from prying eyes once they'd all three met up, and each of them tried it. Rosa only had a sip, telling Kain that it tasted "foul," but Cecil had matched the older boy in downing the rest of it, even though it was obvious that he didn't really like it. Afterward, Cecil all but flopped over and dozed off soon after, but Kain realized quickly that he was uncomfortable all of the sudden. He was hot, and his head felt odd, and his gut felt awkward. It wasn't a feeling like he was going to vomit, or anything like that, but he didn't know how to describe it even to himself. He just felt... off. Rosa told him that he was acting funny and asked if he was alright, but he shrugged off the concern and the younger blonde left the two boys alone so that she could go take care of her chores before her mother came looking for her.

Curled up on the ground, completely comatose, Cecil looked kind of pretty. Kain didn't understand where that thought had come from, but the longer he looked at the younger boy the more he knew it was true. The blonde was still too young to understand all of the differences between boys and girls and what constituted "adult" thoughts, so he didn't really bother much with his realization. Although Kain did find it a bit weird that his gut got more and more twisted the longer he watched Cecil lie there, and the blonde knew that he wanted to do something but he didn't know what. Perhaps the mead wasn't a good idea.


	4. Whig R, CxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 06 Aug 2011<br>Summary: 04 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Rosa, Cecil x Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>Whig<em>, noun;  
>1. A friend and supporter of the American Revolution; – opposed to Tory, and Royalist.<br>2. One of the political party in the United States from about 1829 to 1856, opposed in politics to the Democratic party.  
>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed andor modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil was a bit stressed these days, Rosa knew. Her husband had a lot to handle with his kingdom to keep stable and foreign relations to manage. But this new issue was more troubling than most. Cecil had always been a very kind and noble leader, and he was cautious and fair-minded in all things. He did what was necessary, and wasn't very keen on waste. Yet some would always complain, no matter what, that they were being overlooked, ignored, or otherwise treated poorly. These people had even taken up a "cause" against Cecil, painting him in a horrific light and demanding freedom. Rosa pitied them for their lack of foresight, but she said nothing on the topic. Her husband would do as his duties demanded, and in the meantime the most she could do was comfort him as the pressure mounted.


	5. Trepidation R, imRxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 18 Sep 2011<br>Summary: 05 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Rosa, implied Rosa x Cecil  
>Author Notes: <em>trepidation<em>, noun;  
>1. [Archaic] An involuntary trembling; quaking; quivering.<br>2. A state of dread or alarm; nervous agitation; apprehension; fright.  
>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed andor modified as I see fit.

...

Rosa had never before felt such an intense need to _do_ something instead of patiently wait. Cecil had left to restore his honor and return to the king's good graces, and although Kain was with him the white mage had been unsettled ever since the pair had left. The two of them were more than strong enough to overcome any obstacle that blocked their path, and yet even knowing as much did nothing to assuage her worries. Something was wrong and Rosa felt the discord inside of her heart, but she didn't know what it meant. All she knew was that she could not sit idly any longer, no matter what assurances both her beloved and her best friend had given her. They were not safe, and she couldn't bear to lose either one of them. She was not a woman so weak that she would fret over the feeling until the ax fell and left her devastated; if anything, Rosa was tired of worrying. At least in acting, she could put use to her emotions and end up doing some good.


	6. Torrid R, CxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 08 Sep 2011<br>Summary: 06 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Rosa, Cecil x Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>torrid<em>, adjective;  
>1. Violently hot; drying or scorching with heat; burning; parching; as, "torrid heat."<br>2. Characterized by intense emotion; as, "a torrid love affair."  
>3. Emotionally charged and vigorously energetic; as, "a torrid dance."<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Rosa sighed as she looked at her husband, watching him soak himself to the bone in the rain. Today was the eighth anniversary of Kain's disappearance from their lives, and it was on this particular day that Baron's king was visibly depressed about the errant dragoon. All other days, Cecil was good about hiding his grief, but the white mage knew intimately that her husband missed his best friend and confidant with his whole heart. The two knights had a more emotionally involved relationship than most men, but that was a good thing because it meant that neither one would ever be left feeling alone and forgotten. Oh, Rosa knew that men were supposed to be strong and unbreakable, but everything needed support. Those two were each others' support, and it surely devastated Kain just as much as Cecil to be separated. Honestly, although he hid it better, it probably hurt the older knight more, if only because he was sequestered away somewhere and didn't even have the comfort of familiar surroundings and friends to at least keep a rickety foundation underfoot. The white mage couldn't wait for her best friend to return, if only because both knights would stop hurting so badly.


	7. Gnomic C,K, CxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 22 Sep 2011<br>Summary: 07 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Cecil x Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>gnomic<em>, adjective;  
>1. Uttering, containing, or characterized by maxims; wise and pithy.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

The sickness had taken its toll on everyone in the kingdom. An epidemic of sorts, but it hadn't struck so terribly that more people died than average for any disease. The ones who suffered the worst from this illness seemed to be, much to the court's and kingdom at large's chagrin, Cecil and Ceodore. Rosa, of course, had been overcome with worry that both her husband and her son would be lost to her. Ceodore had recovered first, but Cecil had all but fallen into a coma and had nearly died at least eight times over the course of the illness. After a certain point, Kain could no longer deny his own fear for the paladin's life, but he chose to handle his emotions by forcing the dragoons into top shape and making sure that his king would be safe for his eventual recovery. The blonde knight refused to consider that Cecil might not make it.

When the paladin eventually did manage to come around, it had been nearly a year. Rosa was acting ruler in his stead, and Ceodore had been studying furiously to understand all that he needed to know to take over, in the case that his father died. It was such a relief when emerald eyes fluttered open and actually appeared to be _coherent_. Still, it was a long road to recovery after that, and Cecil had lost most all of his physical strength and stamina from his overly long stay in bed. It frustrated Kain on many levels that his best friend and closest companion was weak now, because that made Baron's king vulnerable in ways that were new and terrible. More irritating than that, however, was Cecil's apparently blase attitude about the pace at which he recovered. He was still a scrawny thing after about a month, and Kain had long grown weary of worrying over his king's health. Trying to get Cecil to understand was another matter entirely, and the dragoon had finally resorted in calling for a duel, which the paladin had of course not denied him. The spar did not go exactly as planned to get his point across, or Kain would not be standing with his head jolted back and the tip of the king's blade gently prodding his bared neck.

"You see, Kain, strength with no cunning will always end in defeat sooner or later."

Cecil relaxed his pose and slipped his sword from resting against Kain's throat, standing tall and yet much too skinny once more. The dragoon relaxed as the blade retreated, only pausing long enough for the paladin to be off his guard before lunging into the slender king and grappling with his best friend, pinning Cecil's arms to his sides.

"Those who lack in strength can be overthrown, however."

Sighing, the paladin shook his head and turned bemused eyes toward Kain, who was still wrapped secure at his king's back.

"I've nothing to worry about, since you have been my strength all along."

Perhaps more frustrating than anything else, in the dragoon's mind, was the knowledge that Cecil was incapable of distrusting him.


	8. Comity R, KxC,CxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 13 Aug 2011<br>Summary: 08 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Rosa, Kain x Cecil/Cecil x Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>comity<em>, noun;  
>1. A state of mutual harmony, friendship, and respect, especially between or among nations or people; civility.<br>2. The courteous recognition by one nation of the laws and institutions of another.  
>3. The group of nations observing international comity.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Rosa sighed and shook her head as she rounded the corner and discovered why she hadn't been able to locate either one of her best friends. If that kiss deepened any further, Kain's tongue was going to end up in Cecil's stomach. Really, they weren't being subtle at all and sooner or later someone else would come across them first. The younger blonde could imagine what kind of eruption that would cause. It wasn't every day that a prince took such an avid interest in one of his guards, after all. Rosa didn't mind that the man she intended to marry enjoyed other men; Cecil's preference was honestly incredibly obvious if anyone had ever cared to notice. And his desires had the added benefit of him never straying toward other women. Rosa alone had been selected to bear his children, and that meant that her sons and daughters would be well off no matter what. The white mage wasn't a fool; she knew well that her marriage was political, knew that Cecil knew it as well, but they'd always been close growing up and it wasn't a horrible arrangement. They might not be _in love_ with one another, but they did truly love each other, and that was enough.


	9. Tyro C

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 25 Sep 2011<br>Summary: 09 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: K<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil  
>Author Notes: <em>tyro<em>, noun;  
>1. A beginner in learning; a novice.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil blinked blankly as he stared at the presents that had been left to him. While the illegitimate princes demanded exquisite parties to celebrate any occasion important to them, the adopted prince had never been keen on those types of grand gatherings. He could muddle his way through them well enough, though, and he thought he was getting better about it, too, with Kain's help. The young prince had never been terribly outgoing, after all.

For some reason, someone had decided that he needed to start having parties of his own, and what better way to start than with the day of his founding, since no one knew the day of his birth? Cecil found very quickly that there was an immense difference between being part of an occasion and being at the center of it, and he really didn't care for the latter. He had planned to spend all day with Kain and Rosa, and he had barely seen them at all. Worse, there weren't many boys attending this event, so he'd had to entertain a bunch of women and girls, and they were the most terrible creatures known to man, Rosa being the exception. His cheeks were still bruised from the random pinching and he'd nearly come out of his shirt on multiple occasions trying to escape one woman who insisted on suffocating him in her bosom; just because he was short for a boy of eight did not mean that he was a doll of some sort.

And now he had a pile of wrapped gifts from them that he needed to sort through, and he needed to thank them for whatever they had given him with formal missives. Why, he wasn't entirely certain, because the only people he'd ever received presents from before were Kain and Rosa, and he saw them every day and they knew that he was always grateful for their kindnesses. Maybe it was because he didn't see these people every day that a letter was required of him. Ah, well, he could simply ask Kain later. The older boy might have been a bit blunt, but he was a noble and he understood the quirks of high society just fine.


	10. Avarice K, KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 26 Sep 2011<br>Summary: 10 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Kain, Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>avarice<em>, noun;  
>1. An excessive desire of gain; greediness after wealth; covetousness; cupidity.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Sitting naked at the edge of the bed with his feet flat on the ground, Kain leaned his arms against his thighs and soaked in the early morning sun falling onto his back. Behind him inside of the tangle of soft sheets lied his king and queen, both still dead to the world. Kain didn't need to look behind him to know that both of them would be sleeping for quite a while yet; they'd been up late the previous night. Honestly, the dragoon was only awake now because his body demanded it; the sun was already too high for him to be dallying in bed, but he couldn't bring himself to get up and dress in his armor just yet. There was a lethargy in his body that made him feel utterly content as he was, and the blonde saw no reason to disturb that. His primary duty was to keep the king safe, and he was basically doing just that by being here; his spear was well within his reach if any threat arose, and he was a skilled enough fighter that he could dodge and deflect blows so his armor was not wholly necessary.

Kain could admit that he was a possessive man by nature. Being a member of Clan Highwind practically made that his right; the dragon clan fought fiercely for what they deemed to be theirs. That was why there was never an argument when Kain had decided that he would be Cecil's primary guard; no one sane would argue with a determined Highwind. The blonde was certain that he had gotten away with a lot in his life because of his heritage, because the blood running through his veins was that of both man and dragon. Most would assume that his nature was the reason why he had claimed the bed and the bodies of Baron's king and queen as his own. In a way, that was almost true.

Bringing a hand up to prod at the stinging welts against his shoulder blades, Kain grinned and sent a leery eye back at Cecil's sleeping figure. As possessive as Kain knew he was, he still found himself being the one marked. The royal couple might have enjoyed having the dragoon between their legs, but there was no doubt in the older knight's mind that the young king and queen had their own possessive streaks. Out of all of the intricacies of their relationship, it would undoubtedly surprise those outside of it to know that both the white mage and the paladin were jealously possessive; they'd have made good Highwinds by birth. Kain was covered in little bruises and bites that didn't hurt at all to go along with the long lines crisscrossing his back produced by both Rosa's and Cecil's perfectly manicured nails raking against the dragoon's flesh in the midst of their ecstasy.

Kain took pride in the marks all over his body, the proof that he was satisfying his possessions properly. He didn't have to feel as though he was asking for too much when both his sun and moon had been reaching out for him all along, desiring to claim and be claimed in turn.


	11. Eke K, KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 13 Aug 2011<br>Summary: 11 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Kain, Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>eke<em>, transitive verb;  
>1. To gain or supplement with great effort or difficulty – used with 'out'.<br>2. To increase or make last by being economical – used with 'out'.  
>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed andor modified as I see fit.

...

Kain had never really seen Cecil as anything besides a friend, rival, and competitor in the quest for Rosa's heart. At least, he hadn't thought much else about the younger knight until after spending time with Golbez. Intimacy with another man was surprisingly pleasurable, and Kain frequently thought about using what he'd learned while being subjected to the warlock's fancies when he went to rest in his bedchambers these days. The paladin was, with brand new perspective, a gorgeous creature; the dragoon hadn't ever noticed how the younger knight's looks matched his inner gentleness. Some days, Kain felt the lust roiling deep in his gut every time the smaller knight grinned in his direction. The dragoon knew that his fellow blonde had laid claim on the younger man, knew that Rosa wished to marry the prince, and that made this desire all the more painful. He did not wish to hurt the white mage, but he'd known Cecil just as long as she had and he'd spent more time with the man besides. The paladin was completely open with him as well; there was a trust between the two knights that did not extend all the way to their female companion, for the dragoon knew details that Rosa did not. Cecil was just as much Kain's as Rosa's. More so, even, because the dragoon was a Highwind and his name meant more. It was selfish of him to plot as he was, but there was so little in his life that the dragoon truly cared for anyway and Rosa was already being selfish by keeping Cecil for herself, although Kain would forgive her for that because he loved her.

Perhaps he was being a touch childish, but Kain loathed being left behind as he knew was happening. He loved Rosa, truly, and would be happy to sire children with her. But he'd not been taking the correct approach prior to meeting Golbez, had been of the mind that either he or Cecil would be excluded in the end no matter what. That did not need to be true, though; his focus had to shift in order to obtain the happiness that had been slipping from between his fingers. The dragoon was determined to woo both of his younger companions, to include both the paladin and the white mage under his protection. Assaulting either one of them to take his desires was out of the question, but his prince was receptive enough for Kain to know that he had a chance. As long as he could win them over, he'd be happy, and he was determined to achieve his desires.


	12. Tittletattle C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 25 Sep 2011<br>Summary: 12 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
>Author Notes: <em>tittle-tattle<em>, noun;  
>1. Idle, trifling talk; empty prattle.<br>2. An idle, trifling talker; a gossip.  
>verb;<br>1. To talk idly; to prate.  
>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed andor modified as I see fit.

...

Growling low in his throat, Kain felt the exhaustion of unbelievable relief twinge in his eyes and pressed his forehead to Cecil's chest. He hated this utter helplessness he felt when his little prince was moved to use his skills to the fullest, hated that there was nothing he could do to keep those self-inflicted injuries from draining the dark knight of his life force. Cecil wasn't really all that little anymore, not since he'd finally hit his growth period. He wasn't that much shorter than Kain now, lank and gangly and yet so powerful with a blade in his hand. It would still be a few years, probably, before Cecil was officially considered the "best" dark knight, but sometimes Kain wondered whether or not his best friend would last that long. The bloodless prince was never quick to use the true power of the dark blade, knowing intimately what casual use of such skills could do to him, but it felt like every time Cecil went out, he wouldn't make it back still breathing.

This time, he _hadn't_ been breathing when he'd been rushed into the medical tent, and from the state of his men it was quite obvious that they had come across something far more powerful than they had been prepared for. That idiot Cecil had nearly made himself a martyr to get his men through it alive, and had bled out so much that his normally snowy white skin had taken on a deathly pallor. The white mages that had been stationed at the base camp had moved in such a frantic flurry that it had been painfully obvious that something was intensely wrong, even if Kain hadn't seen the gleam of onyx armor being dragged into the medic tent. He'd followed, of course, because there was only one dark knight out in this area.

The only way to describe the condition Cecil had appeared in when Kain had pulled back the tent flap was dead. There was blood, and barked orders between the mages, and his entire body, bit by bit that was exposed as his armor was taken from his still form, was a canvas of cuts and open wounds. It was, frankly, horrifying, and Kain could only watch as the mages struggled to do anything to keep the knight from passing on. Even though he hadn't been breathing, he'd had a pulse, and the mages had worked long and hard to bring him around. All of them were exhausted by the time they deemed that they had done all that they could do, and that the rest was up to the prince himself. Kain hadn't moved from Cecil's side for _two days_, had barely acknowledged the food and drink that was given to him, or the liquified food that was painstakingly given to Cecil to keep him from slipping.

It was worth it, though, because the dark knight had finally twitched and flinched and groaned a little, had finally proved that he was still fighting to stay alive, and that was the most important thing. Kain knew that Cecil would be fine now, and he was grateful for that. The dragoon would also _kill_ his best friend one day for making the older knight _worry_ when that was very well not the way Kain normally behaved. There was nothing for it, though, and the blonde settled himself and passed a hand over his eyes and prepared to smirk and insult the young prince the moment that Cecil came around enough to be coherent.


	13. Bellwether C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 29 May 2011<br>Summary: 13 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rydia  
>Author Notes: <em>bellwether<em>, noun;  
>1. A leader of a movement or activity; also, a leading indicator of future trends.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil loathed the fact that he couldn't find Kain, but the blonde had been truthful earlier: if they were to survive against Baron, then they could not afford to sit still and get caught. Worse, the child was unconscious and might be grievously injured. Although Cecil knew enough about first aid to keep himself going, he could not afford to use his single remaining potion on her and it burdened him with a helpless life in need of his decisive action. The girl needed to be attended to, they needed to move out, and, although it pained him, Cecil did not have the luxury of searching out his best friend. Kain could take care of himself, and the orphan at Cecil's side could not. He didn't have to like it, but there was nothing more the dark knight could do beyond pray for the blonde's health.


	14. Torpid C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 08 Sep 2011<br>Summary: 14 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Golbez, Kain  
>Author Notes: <em>torpid<em>, adjective;  
>1. Having lost motion or the power of exertion and feeling; numb; benumbed.<br>2. Dormant; hibernating or estivating.  
>3. Dull; sluggish; apathetic.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

"Cecil!"

Golbez laughed at the sound of their harried cries, watching as the little prince was thrown backward with an agonized scream. At the altar right next to the crystal, Kain stood silently, expressionless at the sight presented to him. Something inside of him was thrilled to see the younger knight taken down like this, left so fragile and weak. Another part of him was irritable, because it was _Kain_ who had done all the work in fatiguing the dark knight in the first place, and it should have been _Kain_ who finished him off. A third, muffled part of the dragoon was disappointed in himself for allowing his sworn charge to fall. Cecil was naive and honest and _weak_ without others to protect him. The little prince was more than strong enough to fend for himself, but that didn't matter when Cecil himself didn't believe it; he needed Kain to be his backbone, and the dragoon had figuratively ripped the dark knight's spine away instead. It wasn't a satisfying end, letting this be the last of their interactions. Kain wanted a true battle, the ultimate determination between them, who was really stronger; as of this moment, Cecil's spirit was too weak for him to be a threat. It wasn't worth killing him now. Even Golbez seemed to realize that, turning his attention from the crippled dark knight without further thought and focusing instead on Kain.

Taking his cue, the dragoon plucked the crystal from its stand and met up with his new lord, following the man out quietly. Cecil still couldn't get up from the last attack, and it made Kain wonder whether or not he should take the little prince as a hostage as well. But, in the end, if Cecil didn't figure out how to stand up on his own two feet, he'd never be the kind of gauge that the older knight was looking for. It was best to leave the man floundering in his defeat, and see where that would lead him.


	15. Grok C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 06 Aug 2011<br>Summary: 15 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: K<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
>Author Notes: <em>grok<em>, verb;  
>1. To understand, especially in a profound and intimate way. Slang.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

While it was entertaining to watch this, Kain thought he should probably interrupt before the little bloodless prince became so flustered that he started to cry. It didn't happen often, but the blonde couldn't _stand_ watching the smaller boy crying, and it wasn't because the little prince was a boy and shouldn't shed any tears. Kain was pretty sure that everyone just conveniently forgot that Cecil was a boy when he was crying, because he cried like a girl and he kind of looked like one, too, and making a girl cry was one of the rudest things a man could do.

"What has you so up in arms?"

Completely startled, the tiny prince froze like a terrified doe and jerked to face the blonde's general direction, attempting to excuse his behavior even before the boy caught sight of who had spoken to him.

"Ah- ...what?"

So the bloodless prince was playing dumb, then. Well, Kain kind of liked the kid, and it wasn't right to just let him break down into tears.

"Cecil, you're a horrible liar and you're panicking."

Emerald eyes blinked slowly, as if confused.

"I am?"

He really couldn't help but laugh. No matter how prodigal Cecil was as a tactician, no matter how the adults had been giving him extra attention, he was still an absolute social klutz. Oh, Cecil could behave with court grace, but he simply _couldn't_ act to save his life. As such, his furious pacing in a semi-hidden grassy alcove just beyond the castle proper was a dead giveaway to his state of mind. Kain thought it rather amusing when Cecil continued to stare at him, standing as stiff and still as an alert doe, with both white brows furrowed as if he simply had no idea how Kain could tell that he was flustered. Sometimes the blonde could only wonder if Cecil wasn't simply deliberately dense, or if the constant demand for his tactical mind even before he'd the strength or knowledge to hold a sword in his own hands had killed his ability to connect with anything outside of battle.


	16. Ameliorate C,K,R

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 07 Aug 2011<br>Summary: 16 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>ameliorate<em>, transitive verb;  
>1. To make better; to improve.<br>intransitive verb;  
>1. To grow better.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

It was murder, seeing naive, kindhearted Cecil so distressed that he was outright _sobbing_, great heaves shaking his whole frame as he stood shrunken in on himself before the dragoon.

"It's all- ...all my fault."

How the younger man could blame himself was so beyond Kain that he remained frozen in shock; here he had come to give his sincere apologies to Cecil for having caused so much grief, and the paladin was convinced that the true blame was completely free from the dragoon's shoulder.

"I-.. I'm sorry, K-ain. I'm so-h sorry. Please... forgive me."

Large emerald eyes implored the blonde, as if the paladin felt he had no right to request forgiveness, and Kain was at once torn.

"There is nothing for me to forgive."

Shaking his head negatively, scattering wavy moon-pale locks about his shoulders, Cecil immediately interjected.

"There is. You- don't understand."

As much as Kain suppressed showing his emotions, even he struggled with the desire to give the younger knight some physical comfort. His innards felt like lead as the seconds stretched, punctuated by Cecil's choked breathing, and the tears rolled down milky white cheeks faster. Head bowed, the younger man struggled to quiet himself for several seconds before finally turning and rushing out of the room blindly. Kain stared after him silently, confused and pained but too uncertain to know how to respond even as the rush of footsteps faded into the distance. After a moment, he noticed his left hand raised toward the door as if with intention to grab Cecil before he had left, and chocolate eyes turned blankly toward his wayward appendage hovering in the air before him. He must have lost his focus on the outer world, for his eyes snapped up as gentle hands wrapped around his outstretched fingers.

"Rosa..."

The white mage gave him a sweet smile, small digits folding around the dragoon's calloused hand.

"Is something the matter?"

Not completely in his right mind, Kain only half registered the words.

"...No."

Cocking her head to the side, the white mage gave the older blonde a searching look.

"We have known each other too long for you to have any hope of lying to me, Kain Highwind."

Blinking once, eyes hidden behind the visor of his helmet, the blonde knight carefully slid his hand from her grip. True, they were the best of friends, but the relationship between the two knights was something beyond her understanding and Kain needed to handle this on his own.

"Do not trouble yourself."

Azure eyes glared at him, but the dragoon had no intention of explaining himself. Cecil was his responsibility and, whatever had caused such wretched sadness inside of the younger man, it was something that Kain held himself responsible for and no one else was allowed to interfere.


	17. Bestow C, KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 08 Sep 2011<br>Summary: 17 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain x Cecil  
>Author Notes: <em>bestow<em>, transitive verb;  
>1. To present as a gift or an honor; confer.<br>2. To apply; use.  
>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed andor modified as I see fit.

...

Although Cecil had always had a terrible time of coming up with the perfect gifts for Kain when they were young, it was ridiculously easy to please the dragoon now. Easy, but at the same time horribly embarrassing. Nowadays, Kain boasted that he had all that he could want in life, and it was rare for him to eye anything and not immediately get it for himself if he really had any interest in it. That should have made things more of a challenge, but there was a big difference between Kain the child and Kain the adult: in his majority, the dragoon had an absolutely insatiable libido. It was a mixture of chance, luck, and circumstance, as far as the paladin could tell, that his best friend had become his lover and that all of the blonde's amorous tendencies became focused on him. The best gift that Cecil could give the older knight was a free day for them both, a crate full of flasks of oil, and the paladin himself lying naked on top of the bed in wait.


	18. Comestible R, CxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 18 Sep 2011<br>Summary: 18 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: K<br>Characters/Pairings: Rosa, Cecil x Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>comestible<em>, adjective;  
>1. Suitable to be eaten; edible.<br>noun;  
>1. Something suitable to be eaten; food.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Rosa nearly heaved a sigh, so exasperated that it was almost depressing. There was, to date, _nothing_ that her toddler son wouldn't attempt to ingest. It didn't even have to look remotely like food for him to stick it in his mouth if he could get his hands on it. She'd spent all day keeping him out of trouble, but she'd needed a break so she'd given Ceodore to Cecil for a bit. Only to return to her son on her husband's knee, happily chewing on a blank missive as the paladin scribbled away a reply to some official letter. Really now, both of them were hopeless.


	19. Requisite C

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 20 Aug 2011<br>Summary: 19 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Baigan, Cecil  
>Author Notes: <em>requisite<em>, adjective;  
>1. Required by the nature of things or by circumstances; indispensable.<br>noun;  
>That which is required or necessary; something indispensable.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Although he was hard on the little bloodless prince, it was because he cared for the lad. Baigan knew that the child, whose face was so very similar to the runaway noblewoman Cecilia Harvey that it was rather shocking, held a special place in His Majesty's heart. It didn't matter that the tiny boy was not of blood relation to King Odin; there was no question that Cecilia had bore a son into this world, and for whatever reason did not keep him. The child had her nature about himself, her sweetness and naivety, as well as her ability to win over the hearts of those around her. The king's advisor had watched how the young Highwind heir had reacted to the adopted royal at first, witnessed how the youth had completely changed from apparent loathing to friendship to adoration and sworn loyalty. Cecilia had been like that as well; even those who started out hating her couldn't maintain their distaste.

So Baigan had to be firm with the child, because Prince Cecil would inherit the crown whether he knew it or not, and the child needed to have a strong moral compass for when that time came. Anything less would be devastating to the kingdom on whole.


	20. Prolix C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 26 Sep 2011<br>Summary: 20 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: K<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
>Author Notes: <em>prolix<em>, adjective;  
>1. Extending to a great length; unnecessarily long; wordy.<br>2. Tending to speak or write at excessive length.  
>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed andor modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil honestly didn't mind sitting in court and listening to the nobles go on and on about something that he didn't yet understand because they were talking over him even though he was required to be here. Kain was required to be here as well, being the last member of Clan Highwind. The nobles could go on and on about whatever they wanted; Cecil always made sure to be directly next to Kain, and the two of them held their own conversations during court. They couldn't look too distracted, though, or they'd suffer a lecture about being responsible and polite in proper company, but the young prince always enjoyed talking with Kain during the otherwise boring court sessions. Kain hadn't always been very kind, but he'd warmed up a lot recently and Cecil counted the older boy as a close friend now. On the occasions that they did get into trouble for not paying attention, the adopted prince didn't mind sitting through the lecture since he knew that Kain would be right by his side, and then afterward they would be allowed to go off on their own and Kain would grab him by the hand and cart the smaller boy off to wherever the blonde felt like going that day, and then Cecil would sit for a time and listen to Kain rant. And, afterward, they'd get to do something fun.


	21. Sobriquet C,K,R, CxR,KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 25 Sep 2011<br>Summary: 21 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Ceodore, Kain, Rosa, Cecil x Rosa/Kain x Cecil  
>Author Notes: <em>sobriquet<em>, noun;  
>1. A nickname; an assumed name; an epithet.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

There were so many levels of wrong to this that Kain didn't even know where to begin. Perhaps with the most obvious, being that he was coveting another person's life. It was made worse, however, by his desire to not as much replace as usurp _Rosa_, of all people. He had no desire to be king, but over the course of his quest to strengthen himself and cast aside his infantile wants for another man's possessions, he had apparently made room for hopeless desire and selfishness. Cecil had welcomed him back warmly, had embraced him as brothers in arms, had set him up in a high post and given him back all of the honors that had been his when Kain had left. The paladin had been certain to keep a staff in the Highwind estate in Baron so that it would be prepared for his return, no matter when that return would be, and had even taken the time to personally care for the set of his father's best dragoon armor that had been left behind.

Kain was honestly grateful and more than a little surprised by the extent that Cecil had thought of him while he was not actually around. Honestly, the blonde had done little more than acknowledge Rosa and the child she carried in her arms before he'd been rather swept away inside of the currents of Cecil's approach. The dragoon felt comfortable in the realization that seeing Rosa again had not stirred any forbidden feelings this time, had not made him consider inside of the depths of his soul that he would betray himself and those he loved again. Kain settled into his roll as the king's primary guard again easily, and his confidence in himself grew as he interacted with Rosa more and more and his heart was not moved. The child, Ceodore, seemed to have taken to him, much to Rosa's apparent surprise because, according to her, her son was quite finicky about people. Cecil had laughed warmly and claimed that Kain was family, and his son knew who his family was. Something inside of the older blonde's heart had swelled at that proclamation.

Over the course of several months, Kain settled into his life in Baron and developed a pattern to his days. Little Ceodore seemed to want to be inside of the dragoon's hold as often as he wanted to be in his mother's and father's arms, and Kain couldn't help but become enamored with the toddler. Although he was still too young to manage anything more than babbling, it was so very easy to see that the child was Cecil's – the pale skin, the shape of his face, the brightness of his eyes, the neediness and tactile desire, it was all Cecil. Rosa's contribution was obvious in the color of the hair and eyes, as well as the budding inquisitiveness that was turning Ceodore into a bit of a handful.

It took nearly a year for Kain to realize that he had begun treating Ceodore like his own son at some point, and not much later he realized that Cecil was not only aware of the dragoon's apparent claim over his son, but was clearly _pleased_ by it. Kain couldn't voice the question, couldn't ask why a man would not be disturbed by another man behaving as though he had the right to mold a boy into a man; deep in his heart, he feared the answer. That did not dissuade him from continuing in the pattern that had settled, and becoming a steady fixture inside of Ceodore's life; the more time he spent with the child, the more time he spent with the royal couple in general.

When Ceodore finally managed words, his favorites at the start were "Mama," "Pap-pap," and "Dada." Respectively, those were his endearments for Rosa, Cecil, and Kain. The dragoon had been rightly shocked at first, but that had given way to a healthy dose of unfounded pride that was greatly helped along by how both Rosa and Cecil appeared so content by these monikers. That sealed for Kain how he looked at Ceodore forevermore – no longer was the boy a child of his most precious people, but this was _his_ son. And Ceodore loudly proclaimed as he began growing that he was going to be a "dra'un" like his dad. The first time that he'd said it, Rosa had laughed softly and asked why he wanted that, and, even though the response was practically gibberish, Kain was adept at understanding it anyway; his son had replied in such a serious tone, with such a serious expression on his rounded little face, that he wanted to be like dad so that he could be strong and protect his mom and pop. If that was the path that Ceodore chose, Kain would make sure that his son became the best "dra'un" ever.

Ceodore was four by the time Kain realized that he was probably asserting himself in Cecil and Rosa's life more than he should have. It was both surprising and not that Cecil was content with Kain's infiltration of his life, and Rosa apparently didn't mind at all. It was more surprising that Rosa seemed inclined to let the two men decide how to handle Ceodore, although that realization had nothing on the level of shock that Kain felt when the dragoon had eventually voiced his speculation to the paladin and Cecil had paused before quietly responding that Rosa had not really wanted Ceodore in the first place and would have rid herself of the responsibility a long time ago had Cecil not begged her to have the child. The white mage had always seemed like a woman who wished for children. She loved Ceodore now, anyway, even if Kain was no longer certain that she adored the child like a parent should. Given perspective, though, it suddenly became rather obvious that she took a surprisingly passive role in parenting. That also might have explained why Cecil was so inclined to discussing Ceodore with Kain, regardless of Rosa's presence. It was probably why the royal couple had cultivated Kain's interest in the boy, to be frank.

Well, whatever the reason, Ceodore was very much Kain's son, and he wouldn't be abandoning the youth, no matter what. But the dragoon felt as though he had to be more aware of Cecil now, because it must have deeply pained the paladin to have to beg for his unborn son's life to be spared from his own wife's disinterest. Even having never married himself, the dragoon could only think that he would have been devastated in Cecil's place, that it would have done something to him, something that was particularly obvious in Cecil now that Kain was watching carefully. The paladin still loved Rosa, but there was an odd strain in their relationship. Before the dragoon had left, he would have thought that in the most dire of circumstances, Cecil would always sacrifice to keep Rosa safe. Now, however, if he had to save one, it would obviously be Ceodore. In the undercurrents of the royal couple's relationship, this shift of priorities had changed the way that both husband and wife looked at each other. It left a tattered tear in the fabric of their marriage, an opening that could be exploited.

Perhaps, looking back, it was a deliberate decision on Kain's part to begin excluding Rosa from discussions about Ceodore. When he'd first started doing it, Cecil had been overworked and a bit of a mess, and it just wasn't worth the effort to pull in a woman who had threatened the life of her own son at one point. His reasons, not even fully known to himself, had been cemented when Rosa neglected to argue, or perhaps even notice, her exclusion from the child's life. Ceodore was Kain and Cecil's, as far as the dragoon was concerned. And no one knew better than a member of Clan Highwind just how possessive a dragon's instincts were. Rosa was not necessarily a threat, but was not particularly wanted either, and Kain could feel himself struggling against shunning her completely even as the rift between husband and wife began to grow in little ways.

Kain would never forget the day that his son turned nine and asked him a question about getting a dragon mount for himself. The dragoon had been amused, but masked his own feelings on the subject, expecting that Cecil may well have had an opinion. There was a bit of an upset inside of the ranks of the dragoons, and Kain had been mostly focused on fixing the problem before it became a serious issue at the time his son had come with his request, so, instead of discussing it with the paladin as he normally would have, the blonde knight had absently told his son to "go ask your mother." Ceodore was already gone by the time Kain realized what he'd said, but the dragoon had felt the need to rectify his mistake because Rosa really shouldn't have been involved in this at all. Yet, Ceodore had gone straight from Kain to Cecil, going so far as to pass by Rosa on the way, and the dragoon had stalled outside of the throne room, keeping his presence hidden as he listened to the conversation and mulled over his mistake and his son's reaction to it. He'd abruptly snapped to attention when he heard Cecil calmly ask "what did your father tell you," and their son had replied that "he told me to ask you," and suddenly it struck Kain that it didn't seem like his words had been a real mistake on his own part anymore. Then he had to wonder when Ceodore had stopped thinking of Rosa as his mother, and when Cecil had seemed to fill in her role. Well, if Kain were honest, Cecil had always been more mothering than Rosa, but that hadn't stopped the child from thinking of the white mage as his mother in the beginning.

At some point, and Kain would never know when, his heritage as a dragon's descendent had caused him to do something peculiar to his son, had given the boy bizarre ideas. In his gut, the blonde knew that he was pleased by this, that he _preferred_ these ideas and what they meant about his relationship with his son. But the thoughts that filtered in, that told Kain that he had his family and he deserved a stronger, more intimate relationship with the "mother" of his child, troubled the dragoon greatly. He didn't know what would happen should he act. His son wouldn't mind – possibly had the belief that his parents had already been in such a relationship – but Cecil did still carry a flame for Rosa. Kain was not particularly proud of his irritable disinterest in how his actions would effect the white mage, but the paladin deserved to have stability in his life. The dragoon wanted to be that stability, wanted Cecil to be rightfully his instead of simply thought of as his. What weaknesses had Kain allowed into his life?


	22. Zeitgeist K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 31 Aug 2011<br>Summary: 22 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Kain  
>Author Notes: <em>Zeitgeist<em>, noun;  
>1. [Often capitalized] The spirit of the time; the general intellectual and moral state or temper characteristic of any period of time.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain wouldn't admit it aloud, but he was impressed with the bloodless prince. Cecil might have been a peasant by birth, but his heart was strong. It had to sting, the way that the majority of the noble children pointed and exclaimed about how peculiar he looked. There was definitely something different; the short prince was powder white and his hair was the color of the moon and then there was the blue: blue lips, blue tongue, blue gums, conceivably blue other areas as well. Kain didn't dwell on those differences, though; his father had always said that there was more to a man than what was on the outside.

Cecil was surprisingly gentle for a boy, always kind although he never went out of his way for the ones that were rude to him. It always raised the older boy's hackles when someone got abusive with his smallest friend, if for no other reason than because Cecil strongly reminded Kain of Rosa and Kain was very protective of his best friend. However, the bloodless prince had his pride as a man, pride that dictated that no other was allowed to interfere, and besides he could be vicious when pushed far enough. It was easy to imagine that others would step all over Rosa for her kind heart, but Cecil wouldn't let anyone use him so easily. Perhaps he was a peasant by birth, but he was growing into a man well worth respecting.


	23. Numismatics R

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 18 Sep 2011<br>Summary: 23 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: K<br>Characters/Pairings: Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>numismatics<em>, noun;  
>1. The collection and study of money (and coins in particular).<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Although Rosa had never had the same means as either of her two friends, she had always had a bit of a scholarly interest in the various coins that passed through her hands. It wasn't until she was older, but Rosa eventually came to discover that different kingdoms had different coins. They were all gold, so they were effectively equivalent, she supposed, but they all bore different stamps and shapes. Wherever she went, she was sure to keep one of each different type, just for the sake of her curiosity. It really was interesting, how different and yet completely the same something could be between nations.


	24. Palpable C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 13 Aug 2011<br>Summary: 24 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
>Author Notes: <em>palpable<em>, adjective;  
>1. Capable of being touched and felt; perceptible by the touch; as, a palpable form.<br>2. Easily perceptible; plain; distinct; obvious; readily perceived and detected; gross; as, palpable imposture; palpable absurdity; palpable errors.  
>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed andor modified as I see fit.

...

The dragoon waved his hand pithily, as though he was done with the subject, and the dark knight frowned deeply at that. It was hardly fair of Kain to be so dismissive of something that affected them both, and Cecil was not about to back down. At least, he wasn't going to this time. Previously, the blonde had gotten away with shrugging things off, but the younger knight was tired of pretending that nothing was wrong. Something _was_ wrong, something important, but Kain _wouldn't talk to him_. The young prince was used to his best friend's lacking verbal communication – Cecil himself wasn't always very good about saying something aloud – but the dragoon always _spoke_. Cecil knew all of Kain's physical cues, knew what every gesture meant, but the blonde was deliberately completely silencing himself and the younger knight was sick of it. Kain was important to him, and being ignored and dismissed only served to solidify the idea that something was horribly, horribly wrong. The dark knight was bound and determined to fish out what it was, how he could help, because he missed seeing Kain's smile and he wasn't half as oblivious as half of his age mates seemed to believe him to be – he knew the difference between a real smile and a false one.


	25. Listless C, KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 25 Sep 2011<br>Summary: 25 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Ceodore, Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>listless<em>, adjective;  
>1. Having no desire or inclination; indifferent; heedless; spiritless.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil was fairly positive that his beloved were planning something, although he couldn't say for certain what. He knew something was going on, though, because Rosa had left three month old Ceodore in his care for the better part of four days now, and she hadn't once left the babe's side for longer than perhaps ten minutes grand total before this week. Although he was incredibly curious, the paladin was not worried at this point; perhaps she had needed time to herself, or she may have been taking the time to make plans to visit her relatives more. Ceodore wasn't really a bother, but he certainly wasn't ready for any kind of travel.

Still, that didn't explain why Kain was also absent. The young king did not like to feel selfish, but Kain had been neglecting him for the duration of Rosa's absence. As used to having two – and now three – people who loved and cherished him at his side at all times, this sudden shift was discomfiting. Fortunately, Ceodore was still tiny enough and easily exhausted enough that he couldn't wriggle away like the paladin's lovers seemed to have. Honestly, Cecil found at least a little more reason to adore his son when the babe fell asleep against his chest and drooled all over his fine silks. Perhaps it wasn't a very attractive look, but he was a father and he had more important things to worry about now than how well he pulled off "princess," as Kain would say.

Well, whatever the two of them were up to, undoubtedly the paladin would find out sooner or later, so he resigned himself to not knowing now and told himself that the neglect was not purposeful. Besides, he had his son to keep him company in the meantime, even if Ceodore was not yet ready to do much more than eat, sleep, and mess himself. There was certainly much worse company to be had than that.


	26. Antediluvian C,K, CxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 25 Sep 2011<br>Summary: 26 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Ceodore, Kain, Cecil x Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>antediluvian<em>, adjective;  
>1. Of or relating to the period before the Biblical flood.<br>2. Antiquated; from or belonging to a much earlier time.  
>noun;<br>1. One who lived before the Biblical flood.  
>2. A very old (or old-fashioned) person.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain didn't normally speak his mind anymore, the years having tempered his more outlandish behaviors. Even though he didn't say it out loud, though, he couldn't help but think possibly strange thoughts. Cecil spent a lot of time with his son and clearly adored the infant, more often than not forgoing his armor so that there were no sharp edges on which the inquisitive youth might harm himself. It wasn't unusual for the seven month old to be lying against the young king's chest, pale blonde head nuzzled into the crook of Cecil's snowy white neck, fast asleep and completely unaware of his surroundings. Frequently, the paladin could be found in that position in various rooms at various times throughout the day. His left arm always supported his child, leaving his right hand free for the possible need to take up a quill and write a missive or sign a document or any other simple daily task or duty.

Certainly, the young king could have handed his son over to a nursemaid or some such, but Cecil would never have settled for letting someone else take care of his child. Rosa, for all that Kain would have thought that she would make a wonderful mother, had gotten progressively more disgruntled with having to take care of a child until she'd all but washed her hands of Ceodore about four months after his birth. Apparently, not all women enjoyed the child that marriage was sure to produce. She didn't even seem to mind that the infant was losing his imprint of her and more often than not went to Cecil instead, even going so far as to screech an unending, unholy wail until his father picked him up, at which point he stopped crying nearly instantaneously. Ceodore took a long time to calm down if anyone else tried to hush him, including Rosa.

The king didn't practice his sword work as often as he used to, what with his son to take up all of his time along with his duties as ruler. Cecil wasn't weak by any means, but Kain had noticed that the difference in their strengths was becoming more and more defined. The dragoon didn't mind that, but he was almost positive that his reason for not minding was entirely wrong in every possible way. Although Kain had teased the younger knight a lot in their youth, it was becoming more and more difficult to separate the little gibes from the current reality of their way of life; Cecil was not behaving in a way becoming of a man, whether he knew it or not. He did all the things a wife was meant to do, and he was happy to do them. That wasn't normal; Kain would've been happy to have a son, but he wouldn't have had any qualms with turning over the squirt to nursemaids to raise to a reasonable age if he had been in Cecil's position. All of that early care was woman's work, and there wasn't a thing that a man could do to mold such a small child into a responsible man. And yet Cecil was still interacting with the youth, still raising his son as Rosa was meant to, and clearly took special glee in every silly little accomplishment that Ceodore had. Although Kain refused to say it out loud, he was now quite convinced that the paladin would make someone a very nice wife some day.


	27. Melee C,K,R, imKxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 26 Sep 2011<br>Summary: 27 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa, implied Kain x Cecil  
>Author Notes: <em>melee<em>, noun;  
>1. A fight or hand-to-hand struggle in which the combatants are mingled in one confused mass.<br>2. A confused conflict or mingling.  
>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed andor modified as I see fit.

...

"What are you doing?"

Chocolate and emerald eyes turned to look at the source of the question, the latter upside down, and the smaller teen grinned even as his hands continued to fist into the older teen's tunic.

"You finished your chores already, Rosa?"

Huffing, the blonde girl crossed her arms over her chest and eyed the two teens in a mixture of bemusement and exasperation.

"And this is what you do while I'm away?"

Kain grunted and shifted the little prince in his arms, not yet letting Cecil's feet touch the ground. In response, the younger boy released his grip on the older blonde's clothes and allowed himself to be turned around until he was dangling under Kain's left arm, secured at his waist.

"We're sparring."

Pale pink lips twitching, Rosa appeared to have trouble keeping herself from laughter.

"Sparring? Is that what you call this?"

Swinging his legs in an attempt to get the older blonde to fully right him onto his feet, Cecil gripped Kain's forearm and shot him an annoyed look before turning a shy smile toward the younger blonde before them.

"We're training to be knights. What else could this possibly be?"

For a moment, Rosa seemed to ponder the question, but then a sly grin affixed to her gentle features and her azure eyes sparkled.

"Well, neither of you is wearing armor and I cannot see any weapons or scabbards lying about. I won't question that you're training, but I'm not certain that you're training for the types of battles that knights endure."

Moon-tone brows furrowed even as Kain seemed to choke on his own tongue and hastily released the young prince, causing Cecil to stumble and momentarily flail to keep from falling on his face. With a slight flush on his cheeks, the youth straightened and brushed himself off after regaining his footing and balance, but still sent an irritated glare back toward the blonde now behind him. His look transformed into a concerned expression as Kain continued to seemingly choke on nothing.

"Kain? What is the matter?"

Rosa giggled, bringing a hand up to cover her grin even as Cecil moved to his best friend's side to attempt to assist him.

"Hm, now I have to wonder who wields his sword to conquer the other?"

Kain began turning red while Cecil patted his back and replied to Rosa in a distracted manner, more worried about what was happening with the older blonde. Had he swallowed incorrectly?

"Don't be silly, Rosa. I've always been a better fencer."

Kain shot him an inscrutable look even as Rosa was forced to cover her mouth with both hands to stifle her laughter, and the older blonde managed to rasp a few words as he regained his breath; he must have swallowed incorrectly earlier.

"I'd take you down any day, Cecil."

Offended, the young prince stood straight and planted his hands against his hips with a huff.

"Don't be arrogant, Kain. You've never been interested in fencing and you're too much of a brute to do it correctly."

Chocolate eyes narrowed and then the taller teen lunged, sending both boys to the ground in a tangle of limbs.

"There's no way _you'd_ be on top."

A swift elbow to the side allowed Cecil to partially dislodge himself, annoyed that Kain had started sparring again when Rosa was with them now. It was rude to do something that she could not participate in.

"What are you on about?"

With a guttural growl, the larger blonde rallied and pinned the adopted prince against the ground, and Cecil squirmed briefly before conceding that he had no leverage to break free at this point. Above him, chocolate eyes flashed as Kain's nostrils flared, reminding Cecil of an irritable dragon.

"My sword is the stronger."

Rolling his eyes, Cecil waited a breath before replying.

"Strength means nothing in the face of skill."

The silence was deafening for all of a second before Rosa could no longer grasp a single shred of control and burst with laughter. Brows furrowed, the bloodless prince turned his eyes up to the younger blonde standing nearby.

"What is so amusing?"

After a moment, Kain heaved a sigh and untangled himself, standing up and offering a hand to assist Cecil. Gratefully, the younger teen accepted and got back onto his feet.

"Cecil... never change."

Blinking twice, the young prince cocked his head to the side in question.

"What?"

Bringing a hand up to ruffle fluffy moon-tone locks, Kain turned and began to walk off.

"Let's get cleaned up."

Taking one quick glance toward Rosa, Cecil hurried after the taller blonde.

"But what is so funny?"

Chocolate eyes stayed focused ahead, the older teen's surprisingly bland voice deep in the otherwise empty air.

"Nothing."

Since it was abundantly clear that he had missed something and that both blondes knew what that something was, Cecil grabbed the older teen's right hand in both of his smaller hands and tugged him to stop him from walking so quickly.

"Kain..!"

Huffing in an oddly fond manner, the larger boy slowed his stride to give the little prince an easier pace to match.

"I'll tell you in a few years."

Clucking his tongue, Cecil shook his head and gave one last tug against Kain's hand.

"Don't be ridiculous."

In a surprisingly gentle fashion, Kain turned to face the adopted prince and placed his free hand on top of milky pale hands.

"Please, Cecil, let it rest."

Flushing, because he really didn't like not knowing what was going on, the younger teen petulantly tried one last time to ferret out a real answer before he allowed the topic to die for the moment.

"But I don't understand."

Pink-tinged lips quirked up into a soft smile, an honest smile, and Cecil couldn't help but return the expression; it wasn't often that Kain looked so relaxed and happy.

"And I'm glad you don't."

The blonde dropped his hand from atop the smaller boy's and turned to continue walking, only to pause in profile, hesitation etched across his features. Curious, the young prince squeezed the hand in his hold to recapture his friend's attention.

"Kain?"

After another moment, the blonde returned to facing the smaller teen and spoke cautiously.

"Just... out of curiosity, if I were to gain the skill to go along with the strength, would you be willing to admit that my sword is superior?"

Blinking, Cecil tilted his head inquisitively about the hesitation Kain had in voicing such a benign question and responded honestly.

"..Well, I have no problem admitting superiority when it is an honest defeat."

Kain grinned, his visage looking somehow both relieved and determined as he turned to once again continue his forward stride.

"I'll hold you to that."

Cecil released the larger teen's hand but kept to his side, no longer quite certain of what had just transpired.


	28. Genial C,K, imKxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 8 Sep 2011<br>Summary: 28 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, implied Kain x Cecil  
>Author Notes: <em>genial<em>, adjective;  
>1. [Obsolete] Pertaining to generation or marriage.<br>2. Friendly, warm; kindly; sympathetically cheerful and cheering.  
>3. Mild, pleasant; comfortable; favorable to life or growth.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Groaning, Kain brought his hand up to partially cover his eyes but managed to keep from shaking his head. It would have taken too much effort to do anything more, and the blonde was quite comfortable where he lied propped against the trunk of one of the old oak trees.

"That is the most ridiculous thing you've ever said, princess."

From his position standing by the older teen's feet, Cecil set his hands at either hip with a huff and a pout that was probably meant to be a scowl.

"What is so ridiculous?"

Indeed, that was supposed to be a scowl on the younger teen's face, but Kain had never known Cecil to pull off "threatening" very well outside of his full armor. He just wasn't built to be scary, and without the aid of something bulky and fierce covering him, there was no possible way for the adopted prince to look anything short of adorable. Not that Kain would ever say that out loud; Cecil didn't _look_ threatening, but he was deadly with a blade.

Sighing, the dragoon-in-training removed the hand from his face and gestured for the young prince to take a seat next to him. As expected, Cecil took to his side immediately and sat with his knees nearly touching his chest, his arms secured around his legs, and altogether looking just shy of being totally depressed. As much as Kain teased the younger teen about acting like a woman, the blonde really, truly hated seeing Cecil upset.

"So what if Maria Rotthammer doesn't like how much time we spend together? That's no reason for you to work yourself up like this."

The prince jerked, his head sharply turning toward the older teen as though in reaction to being physically struck.

"But Kain-"

Scoffing, the blonde cut off the repetitive argument before his little prince could work himself up any further.

"But nothing. The court wants me to marry one of Lord Rotthammer's daughters; I can decline. I've only met her twice, but with her behaviors, I'm inclined to do so already."

Cecil's cheeks puffed up in anger, much like a child, and the younger teen clenched his fingers so tightly that his knuckles turned bright white but he refrained from any movement beyond a slight trembling of his frame.

"She is from a good clan, though! And what about all of the children you want?"

Sometimes, Kain really couldn't understand how Cecil could be so earnest. But then, the bloodless prince was the only man who could be like this, anyway. No one else ever showed so much concern for the orphaned son of Clan Highwind, and all of that worry without even acknowledging his status in the process.

"If her behavior continues in this fashion, then I really wouldn't want her to bear my children anyway. Besides, this is my sixteenth summer; I'm not ready for children yet."

Cecil deflated, his little body nearly slumping as all of the anger left him. The blonde almost frowned as he watched, but the little prince spoke up in his soft, lilting way before Kain could grow too concerned.

"I just... I want you to be happy, Kain."

That was really the core of it, as far as the dragoon was concerned. That was the difference between Cecil and everyone else, and it was the main reason that the blonde loathed the thought of "moving on." Out of everyone that he knew, his little prince was the most concerned with Kain's welfare, the most interested in seeing him smile. Cecil was only like this for Kain and Rosa, and he went to the ends of the earth for them. Neither blonde fancied the thought of leaving their little prince behind as they grew.

Although it was an impulse, Kain did not curtail the action and reached around to pull the smaller teen into his lap. Cecil was still so tiny at fifteen, still so slender and fragile, and no one knew why he wasn't growing like he should have. The older teen kind of liked how powerful he felt around the adopted prince, and the little body fit against his larger, growing frame almost like Cecil belonged in his arms.

"You make me happy, princess."

Although he huffed indignantly, Cecil settled himself snugly inside of Kain's hold and did not resist the older teen's next impulse to bury his nose in silken moon-tone locks and breathe deeply.

"Sometimes I really cannot understand the way you think."

Chuckling, the blonde squeezed his arms tighter for a brief moment before he relaxed back against the tree again.

"I'll take that as a compliment, that I manage to keep you of all people guessing."

Giggling softly, his little prince slowly threaded lithe arms around the barrel of Kain's chest and relaxed against him. Quiet settled upon them and the blonde felt his lips quirk up as he held the slender smaller teen close. Kain could sort of understand why Maria was wary of his relationship with Cecil, but that didn't give her any right to voice her thoughts to the adopted prince. She had no real interest in Kain personally; only his title and heritage piqued her desires at all. Honestly, the blond didn't like his "suitable companion" in the least, although he knew better than to just say that outright. She wasn't fishing for higher status, really, because Clan Rotthammer was about as high on the chain of Baron nobility as Clan Highwind, but that didn't make her an attractive individual in return. Still, if Kain was going to choose a woman, it wouldn't be someone who harassed _Cecil_, no matter what said woman thought about the relationship between prince and guard.


	29. Raucous C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 25 Sep 2011<br>Summary: 29 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: K<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
>Author Notes: <em>raucous<em>, adjective;  
>1. Unpleasantly loud and harsh; strident.<br>2. Disturbing the public peace; loud and rough.  
>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed andor modified as I see fit.

...

Kain had been pestering him since early this morning, barring the time he'd spent sleeping in class, and it was becoming annoying although Cecil certainly had no intention of dismissing his best friend from his presence just because of something silly like that. Although it would do the blonde some good to be a little less obnoxious.

"Say it."

Really, Kain was a bit of a narcissist when he found out that he was correct about something or another.

"No!"

Cecil forgave himself for his snappish response, having listened to Kain crow about his knowing something that the younger teen hadn't for _hours_ now.

"Say it."

The prince really didn't want to be angry, but he was tired of the constant barrage.

"Stop this!"

For a moment there was blessed silence, but then Kain started to look annoyed as well. Which honestly amazed Cecil, because the younger teen had been denying the older teen for the duration of the day, and yet only now there was a reaction.

"Say it."

Apparently it was not enough of an irritant to cause Kain to give up, although Cecil could feel his own patience with his friend running very thin.

"I will not do such a thing!"

For a split second, the blonde frowned, but then he looked off to the side and made a rather dismissive gesture, and Cecil hoped that that was the end of it.

"Fine."

Kain had almost sounded petulant just then, but the prince really couldn't have cared less at this point since he'd finally stopped being bothersome. Cecil turned his attention elsewhere and not a moment later arms wrapped around him from behind and locked his own arms against his sides as his feet lifted from the ground.

"Augh! Let go of me this instant, Kain!"

There was a soft huff of air, not quite a snort, before the blonde spoke.

"No."

Cecil could feel his patience ending as he struggled to yank his hands free, no longer worried about causing a ruckus. His best friend was being utterly _ridiculous_.

"If you do not let me go _this very instant_ I will make your life miserable, Kain Highwind!"

The response was an actual snort, just barely shy of the start of a chuckle, and the older teen replied fluidly.

"Like that would be something new."

As if it wasn't bad enough that Kain was behaving so improperly, now he was becoming insulting. There was only so much that Cecil was willing to take, regardless of how much he cared for the blonde.

"Why you-"

"Hey! Married couple! Some of us are actually trying to _do_ our out of class assignment here!"

Blinking, Cecil stopped struggling in his best friend's arms and glanced to his left, finding a group of the noble boys in his classes lounging on the grasses with their notes around them. As often as Kain and Cecil were together, it had become something of a running joke with all of the noble children that the two of them were married to each other, and it really wasn't much of an insult. That said, the prince didn't know which one of them had spoken, but that hardly mattered when he had allowed himself to lose patience in front of others. He might not have been royal by blood, but his behaviors still reflected on the crown, and he needed better control over himself.

"A-a-apologies."

For his part, Kain showed no regret, and it was obvious in his next words.

"If I had been aware of your budding desire for _pleasing_ our teacher, Durin, I would have made an effort to get you some alone time with him."

Appalled, the smaller teen struggled to look over his shoulder at his best friend's face, since the blonde still had a possessive hold on him that only tightened as he moved.

"Kain!"

"Highwind, watch your damn mouth."

Glancing back over toward the other boys, emerald eyes caught sight of one of the teens, a lank brunette with pale skin and dark eyes, as he stood up with a dark scowl on his features. Against his back, Cecil could feel Kain's muscles tighten in response.

"Or what?"

The dark tinge to the blonde's voice immediately told the prince that there was about to be a scuffle, because Kain was stubborn and had a bit of a temper sometimes, and Cecil had already made him irritable so there was no doubt about what would happen if matters weren't settled quickly.

"Kain, please."

"Listen to your wife for once."

Cecil scowled at the other teen and made to rebuke him – it was one thing to use the long-running joke that they were married, but it was entirely different to imply that the prince was a woman – but Kain's deep growl cut him off before he could.

"You churlish-"

"What is going on here?"

All of the boys froze and turned to face the fully armored knight that was approaching. It went without saying that they would all be punished if anyone should say a word, so, without even taking a glance at any of the others, all of the boys came to the same decision at the same time and responded alike.

"Nothing, sir."

Although the knight frowned at them, he nodded and continued on, not even bothering to remark about the hold Kain still had on Cecil. It was just assumed that the two of them were cohorts in name and deed.


	30. Aberrant C,K,R

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 8 Sep 2011<br>Summary: 30 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>aberrant<em>, adjective;  
>1. Markedly different from an accepted norm; deviating from the ordinary or natural type; abnormal.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain had been acting oddly recently, and Cecil couldn't understand why at first. It took a long time to connect the behavior with the amount of time that the prince had been spending with Rosa. But that still made no sense, because the older blonde hated browsing stores and he was always unbearably grumpy whenever he was dragged along for an opinion on the dresses that Rosa was looking at. He also thought that pear and lime were the same color, which was horrifying, and he wouldn't listen when either of the younger pair attempted to explain that he couldn't just call them both _green_.

Honestly, Cecil had stopped inviting the older blonde because he knew that Kain didn't like being bothered with such things. If the prince had known that it would upset his best friend to be excluded from activities that he hated, then Cecil would never have stopped offering.


	31. Diffident C, CxR,KxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 31 Aug 2011<br>Summary: 31 July 1999 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Cecil x Rosa/Kain x Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>diffident<em>, adjective;  
>1. Lacking self-confidence; distrustful of one's own powers; timid; bashful.<br>2. Characterized by modest reserve; unassertive.  
>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed andor modified as I see fit.

...

Kain was more stubborn than a mule, but honestly that was one of the many facets of his personality that had long attracted Cecil to the older male. When the blonde got something into his head, come what may, he would not stray from his belief. It was admirable, to be so steadfast and forthright. That being said, Cecil sometimes truly wished that Kain would just admit to certain things. It wasn't as though the prince was completely oblivious; he'd seen the way that Kain looked at Rosa when the older knight thought that no one was looking. Cecil did not wish to fight for the younger blonde's hand in marriage, but it made his heart bleed that his best friend would try so very hard to sequester his feelings. Kain hadn't ever had many people whom he felt close to, and Cecil hated himself for feeling as though he was betraying the older man to follow his own heart. But what could he do, really, to make Kain happy without ending his own happiness in the process?


End file.
